1. Field of the Disclosure
The disclosure relates generally to compositions comprising coated particles and to methods of making and using such compositions for targeted drug delivery.
2. Brief Description of Related Technology
Nanoparticles (including nanospheres) and microparticles (including microspheres) referred to herein collectively as “particles,” are solid or semi-solid particles having a diameter from about 1 nm to about 10,000 nm (10 microns). Such particles can be formed from a variety of materials, including proteins, synthetic polymers, polysaccharides, nucleic acids, small molecules, and combinations thereof, and have been used in many different applications, primarily separations, diagnostics, and drug delivery.
Compositions comprising such particles have been found to be useful for drug delivery. For example, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0073199 discloses that particles comprising an active agent can be formulated as aqueous suspensions, and stabilized against aggregation and particle growth by providing surfactant coatings on or about the particles.
There is an on-going need for development of compositions comprising particles and methods for making and using same, particularly in delivering drugs of interest.